Internal-combustion engine



March 26, 1929. v. LINK 1,706,623

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed. Jan. 10. 1927 4 61554 1 1 M 2/INVENTOR z'wcerz 1 [29216 I ATTORNE March 26, 1929. v, L NK 1,706,623

INTERNAL COMBUSTION Emma Filed Jan. i0, 192'! 4 sheets-sheep 2 m 3 m 3g;

' ATTQRNEE March 26,1929. v. LINK 1,706,623

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Jan. 10, 192'! kSheets-Sheet 5 a Q 2'?Q M 26/ I," l 3 l i g 353E257. ll I INVENTOR dirzcenz 272/ BY 7 I vATTORNEY; i

March 26, 1929. v. LINK INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Jan. 10, 1927 4Sheets-Sheet 4 III I114 lllanvnwllli rlllln ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 26,1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VINCENT LINK, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE STUDEBAKER CORPORA-TION, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

This invention relates to internal combus tion engines and particularlyto manifold constructions therefor, the principal object being toprovide a construction in which the combustible mixture may be readilyvaporized anddistributed equally to the various cylinders of the engine.

Another object is to provide a manifold construction for an internalcombustion engine in which the combustible mixture from the carburetorwill be directed into a pocket heated by the exhaust gases where theunvaporized particles of the fuel will be separated out and willthereafter be vaporized by the heat in said pocket.

Another object is to provide a manifolding construction for an internalcombustion engine in which a pocket in the intake manifold is formedabove and in contact with the exhaust manifold, the pombustible mixturefrom the carburetor being directed into said pocket and deflectedtherein to deposit liquid fuel particles carried by the mixture streamin said pocket, said pocket serving as a reservoir for holding suchparticles until such time as they are boiled off and vaporized by theheat transmitted thereto from the exhaust manifold.

Another object is to provide a manifolding construction for an internalcombustion engine, in which the combustible mixture from the carburetoris initially heated and then introduced into a pocket where itsdirection of flow is changed to deposit the liquid fuel particlescarried thereby in a reservoir formed in the bottom of said pocket, thebottom of said pocket having a wall common to an exhaust passage wherebythe same is heated, such liquid fuel particles as are deposited thereonbeing vaporized by the heat thereof and returned to the combustiblemixture stream.

Another object is to provide a manifolding construction for an internalcombustion engine in which a portion of the intake passage is formed ofa thin walled tube about which exhaust gases may be circulated to heatthe combustible mixture therein, the combustible mixtureflowing fromsaid tube being projected against a baflie whereby the liquid particlesof fuel carried thereby will be separated out from the mixture streamand will drain into a reservoir provided therebelow, said reservoirbeing heated by exhaust gases whereby such liquid fuel particlesdeposited therein will be heated and vaporize-d and returned to themixture stream.

A further object is to provide a manifolding construction for aninternal combustion engine in which the combustible mixture from thecarburetor is led horizontally through a thin walled tube surrounded byva passage for exhaust gases, the combustible mixture from said tubebeing projected against the side wall of a pocket positionedtransversely to said tube, the particles of liquid fuel carried by thecombustible mixture being deposited against said side Wall and drainingdown into 'a pocket formed in the lower part of said pocket, the lowerwall of said pocket being common to said passage for exhaust gaseswhereby said wall Will be heated and will cause said liquid fuelparticles deposited thereon to be vaporized and returned to the mixturestream, said exhaust passage being connected to the exhaust manifold anda valve being provided in the exhaust manifold for controlling thepassage of the exhaust gases throughsaid exhaust passage, said valvebeing-connected for relative movement With the throttle valve of thecarburetor whereby when the throttle valve is open, the Valve in theexhaust manifold is positioned to prevent passage of exhaust gas throughsaid exhaust passage, and when said throttle valve is closed or inpartly closed position the valve in the exhaust manifold is positionedto force the exhaust gases through said exhaust passage.

The above being among the objects of the present invention, the sameconsists of certain features of construction and combinations of partsto be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings,and then claimed, having the above and other objects in view.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a suitable embodiment ofthe present invention and in which like numerals refer to like partsthroughout the several different views,

Figure 1 is a side view of an internal combustion engine in which asuitable embodiment of the present invention is incorporated.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1 showing the upper portion of the internal combustion engine andthe manifolding system connected thereto. 4

Figure 5' isa sectional view taken on theline 55 of Figure 2. I

. Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2. a

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a partially broken sectional view similar to Figure 2 butlooking toward the front of the motor as on the line 8-8 of Figure 1,illustrating the hookup between the throttle valve and the exhaustmanifold valve.

In manifold designs for internal combustion engines the resultinvariably sought to be obtained is an equal distribution of thecombustible mixture to the various cylinders. It is generally acceptedthat this may be obtained if sufficient heat is applied to thecombustible mixture stream to entirely vaporize all articles of liquidfuel carried thereby. The heating of the combustible mixture to asufliciently high temperature to accomplish this result is objectionableat high engine speeds for the reason that the volumetric efficiency ofthe engine is impaired thereby and materially affects the high speedperformance of such engine, and also because such high heating of thecombustible mixture causes detonation of the same in the enginecylinders which is almost impossible to control. On the other hand, theapplication of a large amount of heat to the combustible mixture at lowengine speed is not objectionable but in fact is desirable, as at lowengine. speeds the speed of the air passing through the carburetor is solow that a very incomplete vaporization of the fuel occurs, andconsequently at low engine speeds the combustible mixture from thecarburetor carries a relatively large percentage ofunvaporized fuelparticles which, if not vaporized, will be drawn into the engine inliquid state where it will dilute the oil and cause deposits of carbonto be built up on the piston head and on the walls of the combustionchamber.

The present invention contemplates a construction in which the heatingeffect of the combustible mixture varies inversely as the speed of theengine, and is so formed that at low engine "speeds sufficient heat maybe applied to the combustible mixture to cause complete vaporization ofany particles of liquid fuel carried thereby, and in which at higherengine speeds the amount of heat will be controlled so as not tomaterially affect the volumetric efficiency of the engine.

As illustrative of the present invention I show the same inthaaccompanying drawings in combination withan internal combustionengine having a cylinder block 10, cylinder head 11, a crank case 12,and an oil pan 13.

conventional securing means 15.

The intake manifold is made up of two main portions 16 and 17 suitablysecured together by screws 18. The'portion 16 serves to carry thecombustible mixture from the carburetor 19 across and above the cylinderhead 11 to the portion 17 and for other purposes to be hereinafterdescribed, the portion 17 serving as a header and a distributor. Thedistributor part of the portion 17 comprises a relatively long and fiatextending part 20 formed to provide a duct therein of like shape whichis connected by the downwardlyextending ducts 21 to the inlet ports 22of the engine. This portion of the intake manifold is positioned betweenthe exhaust manifold 14 and'the cylinder block 10. The upper walls ofthe portion 17 adjacent the center thereof are formed to provide anupwardly extendingpocket 23, the upper portion of which is incommunication with the portion 16 of the manifold through the opening24. Extending between the inner walls of the pocket 23 and spaced fromthe front and rear edges thereof immediately below the opening 24 arewalls 25 formed to provide ducts 26 and 27 extending transverselythrough the portion 17 at this point. The ends of the walls 25 areextended upwardly a short distance to form baffles 28 whereby areservoir 29 is formed above the ducts 26 and 27 and below the opening24 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. v

The portion 16 of the intake manifold is formed to provide a tubularpassage 30 extending for a short distance from the carburetor 19 andthen the walls thereof are enlarged to form a chamber 31 which extendsup to and is secured to the portion 17 by the screws 18 previouslydescribed. The passageway 30 is continued in normal size through thechamber 31 by means of a thin metallic tube 32 the interior of which isconnected with the opening 24 of the portion 17 .is provided with acentral opening 34 which is covered by the member 35 which connects theinterior of the exhaust'manifold 34 with tion of the ducts 26 and 27down to the opening 34. The member 35 is also provided with anupstanding boss 37 positioned centrally receives the shaft 38 of thevalve 39 which is positioned within the exhaust manifold 14 It will beapparent that when the valve 39 is turned to the position shown inFigure 2, the exhaust. gases flowing forwardly from the rear portion ofthe engine shown in Figure 1, are deflected by the valve 39, and thebaflie 36 up through the rear side of the member through the duct 27 andinto the cham ber 31 where it is forced up around the tube 32 and downback into the duct 26 from which it passes back through the forward sideof the member 35 into the exhaust manifold 14. It will be apparent thatthe exhaust gases in passing through the ducts 26 and 27 and chamber 31in the manner just described come in contact with the bottom walls ofthe reservoir 29 and in contact with the tube 32, and a transfer of heattherefrom to these parts occurs. When the valve 39 is turned 90 from theposition shownin Figure 2, or

. in accordance with the position shown in Figure 8, the exhaust gases,by following the path of least resistance, will pass directly throughthe exhaust manifold 14 without any material flow through the chamber31. "In such a case neither the bottom wall of the reservoir 29 nor thetube 32 will receive any material amount of heat from the exhaust gases.

As an illustration of the construction just described, when the valve 39is in the positionindicated in Figure 2 in which the exhaust gases areforced through the duct 27 and into the chamber 31 from which they arereturned through the duct 26 to the exhaust manifold 14, it will beapparentthat the combustible mixture flowing from the carburetor 19through the passage 30 and interior of the tube 32 will be heated inpassing through the tube 32 by reason of the transfer of heat theretofrom the exhaust gases in contact therewith. This heat is sufficient tovaporize the smaller and more easily vaporized particles of liquid fuelbeing carried by the combustible mixture stream without materiallyraising the temperature of the entire combustible mixture. Thecombustible mixture in passing through the tube 32 is projected throughthe opening 24 against the outer face or wall of the pocket 23 whichabruptly changes its direction of flow 90 and splits it up so that halfof the same passes either side of the opening 24 up over the baffles 28)and then downwardly into the distributor portion 20 of the intakemanifold. When the combustible mixture stream is thus abruptly changedin the direction of its travel by the outer wall of the pocket 23, theinertia of the articles of liquid fuel carried by the comustible mixturestream causes the same to be projected against this wall, and theseparticles of liquid fuel after having come in con- .tact with this wallcling to the same and of the exhaust manifold 14 which rotatably drainby gravity down into the reservoir 29 from which they are prevented fromescaping by the baffles 28. When the particles of liquid fuel thus draindown into the reservoir 29 they come in contact with the heated lowerwall thereof and the heat transmitted thereto from the same causes suchliquid fuel particles to be vaporized and returned to the mixture streamas a gas. The result is that the combustible mixture actually enteringthe distributor portion 20 is substantially freed of all particles ofliquid fuel and contains nothing but a completely vaporized mixturewhich is readily distributed in equal proportions through thedistributor portion 20 of the intake manifold to the variousintake ports22 of the engine.

As previously mentioned, liquid fuel particles in the mixture stream areusually present to an objectionable degree only at the lower enginespeeds and consequently the application of heat thereto as justdescribed is only necessary and desirable at these lower speeds.Accordingly, in the present invention, I provide means wherebythe-heating effect on the combustible mixture is reduced as the enginespeed increases and substantially disappears at wide 0 en throttle.

The means employed fdr accomplishing this result are best showninFigures 3 and 8. Asindicated in those figures a lever 41 is secured tothe upper end of the shaft 38. The free end of the lever 41 is pivotallyconnected by the link 45 to the lever 42 secured to the shaft 43 of thecarburetor throttle valve 44, e relation of the levers 41 and 42 beingsuc that when the throttle valve 44 is closed the valve 39 is positionedto obstruct the free flowing of the exhaust gases through the exhaustmanifold 14 and to force them up through the chamber 31 as previouslydescribed, and when the throttle valve is in wide open position, or topengine speed, the valve 39 in the exhaust manifold 14is positioned toallow a free flow of the exhaust gases directly therepast. Any Variationof the position of the throttle valve between wide open and closedposition will cause a like movement of the valve 39 in the exhaustmanifold 14 and will consequently allow a greater or lesser amount ofexhaust gases to pass through the chamber 31, and in this manner theamount of heat transferred to the combustible mixture flowing throughthe intake manifold will be controlled in'accordance with the positionof the throttle valve, and therefore in a more or less proportionatemanner, inversely in accordance with the speed of the engine of whichthe construction formsa part.

It will be noted from the foregoing that the bottom of the reservoir 29is very small and will not heat the body of the combustible mixture toany substantial degree, its main purpose being to collect the particlesof liquid fuel and supply sufficient heat thereto to return them to themixture stream in vaporized condition. The main transfer of heat ofcourse occurs at the tube 32 which, being of relatively thin metal, isquickly affected by the presence of the exhaust gases in contacttherewith and transmit the heat therefrom to the combustible mixtureflowing therethrough. The length of the tube 82 may, of course, bevaried to suit the particular engine in connection with which theconstruction is adapted, so as to obtain the most favorable resultswithout overheating the complete body of the combustible mixture.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the inventiondescribed without departing from the spirit and substance of the broadinvention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine having an intakemanifold, an exhaust manifold, and a carburetor, said intake manifoldformed toprovide a pocket therein, a wall extending between the innerwalls of said intake manifold within said pocket forming a passage forexhaust gases, baflies projecting upwardly from the upper face of thefirst-mentioned wall to provide a reservoir therebetween, a horizontallyextending duct for conducting the combustible mixture from saidcarburetor to said pocket, and means for conducting exhaust gases fromsaid exhaust manifold through said pocket and into contact with saidduct.

2. In combination wit-han internal combustion engine having an intakemanifold, an exhaust manifold, and a carburetor, said intake manifoldformed to provide a pocket in the upper portion thereof, hollow wallsextending through said pocket forming a pair of passages for exhaustgases, bafiles projecting upwardlyfrom said walls to form a reservoirtherebetween, a horizontally extending duct for conducting thecombustible mixture from the carburetor into said pocket and pro jectingthe same against the side wall thereof, a chamber surrounding said ductin communication with said passage, means for connecting said passageswith said exhaust manifold, and means for forcing said exhaust gasesfrom said exhaust manifold through one of said passages into saidchamber and then out of said chamber through the other of said passagesback into said exhaust manifold.

3. In combination with an internal combustion engine having an intakemanifold, and a carburetor, a pocket formed in said in take manifold, areservoir formed in said pocket, a horizontally extending duct forconducting the combustible mixture from the carburetor into said pocketand projecting it against the side wall thereof, a chamber surroundingsaid duct, a pair of passages connecting said exhaust manifold with saidchamber, said passages having a wall in common with said reservoir, anda valve positioned in such exhaust manifold between said passageswhereby exhaust gases may be forced ing from said carburetor into saidpocket and positioned to project the combustible mixture from saidcarburetor against a side wall of said pocket, a reservoir formed insaid pocket for collecting particles of liquid fuel pro: jected againstsaid side wall, exhaust passages having a wall in common with a wall ofsaid reservoir, a valve in said exhaust manifold for controlling theflow of exhaust gases between said passages, and means for operativelyconnecting said valve with the throttle valve of said carburetor tocontrol the posi tion of said valve in said exhaust manifold in directrelation to the position of said throttle valve in said carburetor.

5. In combination with an internal combustion engine having an intakemanifold, an exhaust manifold, and a carburetor, a pocket formed in saidintake manifold, means forming a duct leading from said carburetor. intosaid pocket and formed to project the combustible mixture from saidcarburetor against the side wall of said pocket, a portion of the wallof said duct being formed of a relatively thin tube, a chamber formed tosurround said tube, a reservoir formed in said pocket below said duct,and exhaust passages connecting said exhaust manifold with said chamberand having a portion of the walls thereof in common with the wall ofsaid reservoir, a valve in said exhaust manifold for controllinig theflow of exhaust gases through said passages, a valve in said carburetorfor controlling the flow of combustible mixture from said carburetor tosaid intake manifold, and means J operatively connecting both of saidvalves whereby when said valve in said carburetor is closed'said valvein said exhaust manifold is positioned to cause a maximum flow ofexhaust gases through said passages, and

whensaid valve in said carburetor is posi- 3rd day of J an, 1927.

VINCENT LINK.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent N0. 1,706, 623. Granted March 26, 1929, to

VINCENT' LINK.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printedspecification ofthe above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line61, claim 3, after the word "manifold" insert the words and comma "anexhaust manifold, and that the said Letters Patent should be read withthis correction therein that the same may conform to the record of thecase in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 7thday of May, A: D. 1929.

M. 'J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Phtent No. 1,706,623. Granted March 26, 1929, to

VINCENT LINK.

It is hereby certified that errer appears in the printed speeification0f the abeve numbered patent requiring eerrection as follows: Fage 4line 61, claim 3, after the word "maniieid" insert the Words and comma"an exhaust manif0ici,; and that the said Letters Patent should be readwith this cerreetien therein that the same may content: to the record ofthe case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of May, A. D. 1929.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

